The present invention relates to a extremely heavy-duty welding cart and more particularly to an improved welding cart designed for use in industrial environments.
Although rolling welding carts are commonplace in industrial and commercial welding environments, generally, these are multipurpose carts that have been adapted to carry heavy welding units and the associated equipment. These adapted carts have several drawbacks. First, they are generally of a mechanical fastener assembled, light gauge steel fabrication and as such have load limits that are marginal for their intended use. Second, the support pillars on two-tiered welding units tend to obstruct and hamper the attachment of the gas, water and electrical line connections to the rear of the welding units. Third, these modified carts, do not roll well in the terrain encountered in the industrial welding environment and is such are prone to tipping and sudden stops. Lastly, the addition of gas cylinders to the welding cart alters the cart's center of balance and makes the cart dangerous to move.
The steel members in the prior art carts are commonly, hollow, tubular or bent steel to add structural strength to the light gauge of steel used. Often these light-duty carts buckle or distort under the weight of heavier welding units. Similarly, the wheels commonly break or fail to roll smoothly under such heavy weights. Although these welding carts are intended to transport welding units and the along smooth floors, smooth floors are commonly, not the case. The art of welding requires the use of numerous paraphernalia, most of it heavy. Such paraphernalia includes hoses, helmets gloves, welding rod, metal gas cylinders, grinders, magnets, clamps and metal to name a few. The welding carts rarely carry, only the welding units. The wheels of such units are generally susceptible to damage from the floor they roll on. Most commercial or industrial welding shops have poured cement floors with divots, loose debris or thermal breaks therein. The combination of heavy loads and an uneven rolling surface leads to the premature failure of the cart wheels and the creation of potentially dangerous situations.
A secondary problem is caused by the direct overhead lighting of most industrial and commercial welding facilities. This type of lighting, tends to cast shadows on the controls of the face of the welding units. This makes selection of the welding parameters difficult to accomplish. This is a constant problem since often small incremental changes in these settings are necessary to facilitate proper welds.
This new cart overcomes the disadvantages of the existing prior art by incorporating a single piece cart frame that is fabricated from heavy gauge structural steel; utilizing large diameter pneumatic wheels and heavy-duty castor wheels solidly secured to the cart frame; angling the second level platform; adding a securement means for individual manufacturer's welding units; adding a gas cylinder platform, gas cylinder stabilizing plate and securing chain; having a single pillar support design that allows open access to the bottom levels; and incorporating side hangers for welding hoses and paraphernalia. The overall design and placement of the support pillar places the cart weight directly over the rear axle therein stabilizing the cart and preventing accidental tipping.
Henceforth, such a heavy-duty welding cart designed for use in an industrial setting would fulfill a long felt need in industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this.